Punjab to set up censor board for videos, lyrics

Chandigarh: With vulgar and obscene content growing in some videos and Punjabi songs, the Punjab government wants to set up a censor board to regulate the content, a minister said.

Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Swaran Singh Phillaur regretted the "vulgar words and lyrics used in the latest songs by some particular singers and the obscenity in the video content of Punjabi songs and movies".

The vulgar content was diverting the mind and actions of youth from the basic ethos and culture of Punjab, he contended.

"The real Punjabi culture lies in the folk songs, folk instruments, drama, literature and the rich heritage of Punjab," he said, presiding over a meeting of officers of the cultural affairs department and renowned artists and writers here.

Phillaur said that a censor board for screening the content shown in videos and the lyrics would be set up so that the censored content reaches the public.

He said that there was a need of preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of Punjab by taking certain strategic decisions, including setting up of the censor board.

He said that a cultural policy was being drafted to save Punjabi music from piracy.